Chapter 573: True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s Experience
On the street, the four large characters “True Monarch Magnetic Pole” floated slowly in the air, drifting alongside Zhang Yu as they headed toward the laboratory.
Glancing at the projection of True Monarch Magnetic Pole beside him, Zhang Yu asked, “Teacher, do you already know the results of the competition?”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole nodded. “True Monarch String Tone informed me as soon as the results were announced.”
“Tell me about the competition’s design prompt,” she urged.
Zhang Yu immediately explained the details of his design.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole then asked, “Do you still have your design blueprints? Let me see them.”
After receiving the file from Zhang Yu, she scanned it briefly and remarked with a hint of emotion, “No wonder everyone assumed I had shared my magical artifact design experience with you.”
She turned to Zhang Yu and said, “You’ve clearly studied my works extensively, haven’t you?”
As the head of the Spirit Transformation Bionic Project and Zhang Yu’s teacher, True Monarch Magnetic Pole knew perfectly well that she had never imparted her magical artifact design expertise to him.
Through her familiarity with Ye Xingli’s laboratory records, artifact refinement logs, and experimental data, True Monarch Magnetic Pole had witnessed Zhang Yu’s steady progress along the path of Artifact Refinement.
Though his progress was rapid, each step was solid and thorough.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole had initially expected Zhang Yu to spend a considerable amount of time mastering the Path of the Heavenly Sun Radiance God. However, his progress far exceeded all expectations.
Hearing this, Zhang Yu nodded and replied, “Teacher’s designs are so brilliant that I can’t help but study them further. I often find myself unconsciously imitating them.”
“Just admit you’re copying,” True Monarch Magnetic Pole said. “Remember this: artifact refinement is all about copying. Even the Immortal Dao relies on imitation. All learning and cultivation begin with copying.”
“You must constantly copy, copy, copy, copy. The more you copy, the deeper your foundation becomes, the more solid your roots grow. Only then can you gradually develop your own unique style.”
“Trying to create everything from scratch, relying solely on your own ideas? That’s like a rootless duckweed, destined to drift aimlessly and never go far.”
After offering these casual pointers, True Monarch Magnetic Pole added, “We’ve recently made a breakthrough in the Spirit Transformation Bionic Project. We’ve begun memory exchange experiments.”
Zhang Yu’s gaze sharpened, his mind racing with possibilities.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole continued, “Rumors are spreading that your success in magical artifact design is due to me using you as a test subject, transferring my artifact design experience directly into your mind.”
“If anyone asks you about this, neither confirm nor deny it.”
“If you absolutely must answer, say that I transferred some of my magical artifact design experience into the Spirit Transformation Bionic, and you obtained that experience from the Spirit Transformation Bionic.”
Zhang Yu’s heart stirred. Is this about promoting the project? he wondered.
True Monarch Magnetic Pole continued, “I know this might cause you some trouble.”
“But for the sake of the project, you’ll have to bear with it. Don’t worry, your teacher won’t let you suffer in the long run.”
Zhang Yu replied, “I’ll follow your instructions, Teacher.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole smiled with satisfaction. “Good. Will you attend the Design Competition awards ceremony?”
Zhang Yu shook his head. “Please have someone collect the award on my behalf. I’m too busy with my work and prefer not to go out.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole nodded. “The awards ceremony isn’t worth attending anyway. Now that you’ve won first place in the Design Competition, your Class B Military Artifact Refinement Certificate will be issued soon. Have you decided which cultivation art you’ll practice first?”
Zhang Yu’s gaze sharpened, and he replied solemnly, “This disciple wishes to choose the Heaven and Earth Cataclysmic Formless Heart Weapon.”
“That one?” True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s expression shifted. “So you still intend to participate in the Ten Greats League.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole understood that while the Grand Void Divine Artifact Strategy enhanced artifact refinement capabilities, the primary power of the Heaven and Earth Cataclysmic Formless Heart Weapon lay in its mastery over magical artifacts. This made it better suited for competitions and combat against others.
Zhang Yu nodded earnestly. “This disciple wishes to try it.”
“Understood,” True Monarch Magnetic Pole replied. “Once you obtain the Military Certificate, I will grant you the cultivation art.”
“But you must understand that to participate in this year’s Ten Greats League, you must advance the Heaven and Earth Cataclysmic Formless Heart Weapon to Level 11 before the registration deadline at the end of July.”
“That leaves you with only two months.”
Zhang Yu responded, “This disciple will exert every effort to try.”
True Monarch Magnetic Pole then asked, “Cultivating the Heaven and Earth Cataclysmic Formless Heart Weapon requires a considerable amount of Spirit Coins. You also need to refine the Great Sky Sacred Law Sword Formation. Do you have sufficient funds?”
While Zhang Yu and True Monarch Magnetic Pole spoke, True Person Ink Fiend trailed them at a distance, his face a mixture of anxiety and impatience.
Only after True Monarch Magnetic Pole’s projection finally vanished did he rush forward, smiling at Zhang Yu. “Student Yu, let’s talk.”
“I’m pressed for time right now,” Zhang Yu said. “I can’t talk.”
“No problem, no problem,” True Person Ink Fiend said with a smile. “We can talk while we walk.”
As he spoke, True Person Ink Fiend’s figure rapidly shrank until he was even shorter than Zhang Yu. He then fell into step behind Zhang Yu, following closely as they moved forward.
Faced with a Golden Core True Person speaking to him so earnestly, Zhang Yu couldn’t maintain his cold demeanor. He sighed helplessly, “Alright, what is it?”
True Person Ink Fiend chuckled. “It’s about the design blueprints. The school wants to buy both your competition entry and the design you discussed with Ye Xingli earlier, and they’re willing to pay a high price.”
“Just give me a price, and I’ll take it to the school leaders. I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.”
Hearing True Person Ink Fiend’s words, Fu Ji spoke in Zhang Yu’s mind, “This old fox is definitely up to something.”
“Now that you’ve won first place in the Hundred Schools Competition, other companies might come looking to buy your patent too.”
“I think you should wait a bit longer. It’s best to let a few more companies compete for it — that way, you can sell it for a much higher price.”
Zhang Yu wholeheartedly agreed with Fu Ji’s advice. From then on, he gave True Person Ink Fiend only perfunctory responses.
Upon arriving at the laboratory, Zhang Yu discovered that True Person Ink Fiend showed no signs of leaving.
“No need to worry,” True Person Ink Fiend said with a smile. “I’ll wait outside. If you have any questions, Student Yu, feel free to ask.”
As he spoke, a delivery courier arrived at the laboratory entrance and handed a package to True Person Ink Fiend.
True Person Ink Fiend quickly unwrapped the package and presented a gourd to Zhang Yu. “This is Heavenly Pool Spirit Liquid from Heavenly Spring Mountain. Brewing tea with it sharpens the mind and eyes, relieves mental fatigue, and is perfect for drinking during experiments. The True Monarchs of the Artifact Refinement Department all love it.”
“However, most of the spirit liquid is transported to the upper levels, leaving very little behind.”
Zhang Yu’s heart stirred. This substance seemed like it could help with his current decline in dao heart and depleted Spirit Inspiration.
But remembering the other party’s unknown motives, Zhang Yu initially refused. Finally, he couldn’t help but say, “Even if I accept this, it doesn’t mean I’m agreeing to anything.”
True Person Ink Fiend replied, “No need to worry. This is just a token of appreciation from the Investment Management Office, providing outstanding students with the best cultivation environment. It’s our duty.”
Seeing the Golden Core True Person speaking so softly and respectfully, Zhang Yu couldn’t help but feel a flicker of admiration.
Carrying the gourd back to the laboratory, Zhang Yu planned to first examine it with the lab’s equipment. Then, he would give a sip to his assistants to confirm it was safe before consuming it himself.
True Person Ink Fiend watched Zhang Yu’s retreating figure, feeling no resentment at having to humble himself before a Foundation Establishment student.
“For Spirit Coins, for performance… what’s a Golden Core True Person licking the boots of a Foundation Establishment cultivator?” he thought to himself. “As long as I earn enough, even a Qi Refining cultivator or a Junior College Student would get the same treatment!”
To this teacher from the Investment Management Office, such matters were trivial.
Moreover, Zhang Yu wasn’t just any Foundation Establishment cultivator in his eyes. He was ranked 19th in the entire school and had led the Foundation Establishment team to first place in the hundred-school Magic Artifact Design Competition.
If kneeling would secure the contract, True Person Ink Fiend would have done it without hesitation.
However, his experience told him that such tactics often backfired.
Indeed, he had once tried kneeling in his naive youth.
Just then, True Monarch Grand Harmony sent a message: “How’s it going?”
True Monarch Grand Harmony: “True Person Rising Clouds and I are almost finished with our meal.”
True Person Ink Fiend: “Give me a little more time.”
True Monarch Grand Harmony looked up at True Person Rising Clouds and smiled. “Since you’re visiting Myriad Laws, you must try our new specialty dish — monster meat prepared in a unique way. Have you ever had a Monster Platter? It enhances your physique, boosts your cultivation, and the flavor is absolutely divine…”
True Person Ink Fiend stared at the tightly sealed laboratory door, thinking, “Time’s running out. Looks like I’ll have to try a different approach.”
As soon as Zhang Yu entered the laboratory, the change in his ranking immediately caught the attention of his assistants.
Zi Yunzhen kept staring at the number 19 floating above Zhang Yu’s head, until Zhang Yu couldn’t help but say, “If you have a question, ask it quickly. Then get back to work.”
Zi Yunzhen hurriedly replied, “Boss, how did your ranking jump so high? Did the results of the Design Competition come out?”
Zhang Yu nodded, his tone casual. “Yeah, they seem to have given me first place, so my overall score increased significantly.”
“First place?!” Su Yunni exclaimed from across the room. “Boss, can we see your design?”
Seeing the expectant looks on the faces of the other two assistants, Zhang Yu knew that if he didn’t show them, they wouldn’t be able to focus on their work.
Moreover, showing them the design would reinforce his authority in the laboratory and boost the assistants’ morale. It might even mean they wouldn’t leave if he had to cut their salaries later.
Although Zhang Yu had no intention of reducing their pay, increasing the assistants’ enthusiasm was always a good idea.
Upon receiving Zhang Yu’s design blueprints, the three assistants immediately began studying them.
The more Zi Yunzhen looked, the more her dao heart felt shattered. She realized there were many parts she simply couldn’t understand.
“Has the gap grown this wide already?”
At that moment, Zi Yunzhen felt like a martial artist who had finally obtained a legendary secret manual, or a student who had stumbled upon an academic overachiever’s math notes right before the college entrance exams, only to find that she couldn’t even comprehend the answers right in front of her.
As the assistants studied Zhang Yu’s design, more and more messages flooded his inbox.
Director Gao: “You won first place in the Design Competition?”
Director Gao: “Did the experiment really produce results?”